breastfeeding

there are many benefits of breastfeeding for the child and the mother, such as:

the milk of the mother is the most suitable milk for the child, as it fulfills his daily needs. it is clean and its temperature is regulated, by the almighty creator, to be the most appropriate source of food to the child. it is beneficial and useful for the mother and the child ([1]). the psychological benefits are the emotional satisfaction for the mother and the sense of security, safety and stability for the child. it is a cure to the child’s fear ([2]), and it makes him a giver, affectionate and warm-hearted. this is why it is recommended for the mother who nurses the child with the bottle to apply some emotional gestures like holding the child to her chest and hug him tenderly to make up for the lack of natural breastfeeding ([3]).

breastfeeding has educational benefits too; it trains the child to be patient because it is a process in which the child exerts some effort through sucking to draw milk till it flows.

the best of what was said about the breastfeeding process is what amr ibn-abdullah (ra) ([4]) told his wife: “breastfeeding your child should not be like how animals breastfeed their offspring, they are merciful to their offspring because they come out of their wombs, while you should breastfeed your child for the reward of almighty allah and the hope that he/she grows up to be a devout muslim who worships allah alone” ([5]).

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([1]) kaifa norabi awladna islamiyan by mohi al-deen abdel hamid: page 66-79.

([2]) tuhfat al-mawdoud fi-ahkam al-mawloud by imam ibn al-qayyim: page 164-165.

([3]) kaifa norabi awladna islamiyan by mohi al-deen abdel hamid: page 66-79.

([4]) ra: radya allah anhu/anha[may allah be pleased with him/her]

([4]) nasihat al-melouk by al-maroudi: page 166, quoting manhaj al-tarbiyah al-nabawiyah by muhammad nour swaid: page 72.